Chap. 1.] ACCOIJKT OE COUNTEIES, ETC. 377 
•with tlie surname of Yalentia. At a distance of thirty -five 
miles from this last is the town of Yolubilis, w^hich is just 
that distance also from both^ seas. On the coast, at a 
distance of fifty miles from Lixos, is the river Subur^, w^hich 
flow^s past the colony of Banasa, a fine river, and available 
for the purposes of navigation. At the same distance from 
it is the city of Sala^, situate on a river which bears the 
same name, a place which stands upon the very verge of the 
desert, and though infested by troops of elephants, is much 
more exposed to the attacks of the nation of the Autololes, 
through whose country lies the road to Mount Atlas, the 
most fabulous locality even in Africa. 
It is from the midst of the sands, according to the story, 
that this mountain^ raises its head to the heavens ; rugged 
and craggy on the side which looks toward the shores of the 
ocean to w^hich it has given its name, w^hile on that which 
faces the interior of Africa it is shaded by dense groves 
of trees, and refreshed by flowing streams ; fruits of all 
kinds springing up there spontaneously to such an extent, 
as to more than satiate every possible desire. Throughout 
the daytime, no inhabitant is to be seen ; all is silent, like 
that dreadful stillness which reigns in the desert. A religious 
horror steals imperceptibly over the feelings of those who 
approach, and they feel themselves smitten with awe at the 
stupendous aspect of its summit, which reaches beyond the 
clouds, and well nigh approaches the very orb of the moon. 
At night, they say, it gleams with fires innumerable lighted 
^ From both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. According to 
Poinsinet, Yolubihs was the synonym of the African name Fez^ signify- 
ing a ' band,' or * swathe.' Mannert conjectures that it is the same as 
the modern Wahli, or QuahH. D'Anville calls it Gruulih, and says that 
there are some remains of antiquity there. 
2 The modern Subu, or Sebou. D'Anville is of opinion that this river 
has changed a part of its course since the time of Phny. 
^ Most probably the modern Sallee stands on its site. 
^ Not in reference to the fact of its existence, but the wonderful stories 
which were told respecting it. 
^ Like others of the ancient writers, Phny falls into the error of con- 
sidering Atlas, not as an extensive chain of mountains, but as an isolated 
mountain, surrounded by sands. With reference to its height, the whole 
range dechnes considerably from west to east ; the highest summits in 
Morocco reachmg near 13,000 feet, in Tunis not 5000. 
